A systematic review of a functional assessment Tool: UCSD Performance-based skill assessment (UPSA)

Performance based assessment instruments have been employed in functional capacity measurement of mental disorders. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the psychometric properties of the UCSD Performance-based Skill Assessment (UPSA). A search was conducted using the PRISMA protocol and 'UPSA' as key word term on electronic databases, with a date range for articles published from 2001-2017. Published studies involving community-dwelling adults were included. Pharmacological and/or clinical interventions involving clinical outcomes and/or institutionalized samples were excluded. Data related to construct validity, test-retest reliability and sensitivity/specificity were extracted, summarized and analyzed according to UPSA versions and psychiatric disorders. Fifty-eight studies including 8782 Community-dwelling adults met selection criteria. Data supporting the construct and known-groups validity were extracted from 41 studies involving Schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders and 17 studies involving other metal illness. The UPSA was culturally adapted to 8 different languages and employed in 17 countries. Few studies reported sensitivity and specificity and the cut-off points could not be generalized. Moderate to strong evidence of construct validity and test-retest reliability was found. Few studies proposed cut-off points. The UPSA showed good psychometric properties in different versions including those culturally adapted.